The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder characterized by abnormal pauses in breathing or instances of abnormally low breathing, during sleep. Each pause in breathing can last from a few seconds to minutes, and may occur many times in an hour of sleep. Sleep apnea is diagnosed in an overnight sleep test or study. Common symptoms include loud snoring, interrupted breathing, restless sleep, and sleepiness during the daytime. Sleep apnea is recognized as a problem due the sufferer having daytime sleepiness and fatigue, slower reaction time, vision problems and other cognitive and behavioral effects, such as moodiness, belligerence, decreased attentiveness and motivation.
Treatments for sleep apnea include lifestyle changes, such as avoiding alcohol or muscle relaxants, losing weight, quitting smoking, sleeping at a 30-degree elevation of the upper body, sleeping in a lateral position (sleeping on a side as opposed to supine positions such as sleeping on the back), surgical procedures to remove and/or tighten tissue in the airway, and use of an oral appliance that keeps the airway open during sleep, and/or positive airway pressure systems to promote air transfer during sleep. These oral appliances include both passive and positive airway pressure devices/assemblies.
Presently, dental trays are used for multiple applications in dentistry, including dental tooth movements, topical medication delivery, mandibular positioning and intra-oral orthotics and cosmetic purposes, as components of sleep apnea appliances to advance the mandible and multiple other uses. Trays used for periodontal treatment are affixed to the patient's teeth with custom formed seals to provide a comfortable means of attachment to the individual dental arch. Dental trays are often used as mouth guards or other types of appliances to help manage bite relationships, mandibular maxillary relationships or to serve for tooth protection. Orthotics are a type of dental appliances used to acquire the patient's ideal or best functional relationship for an optimal joint, muscle, head/neck and upper quadrant association. A dental tray can be used in conjunction or in place of an orthotic once the best functional relationship is established, but dental trays fabricated from EVA material are extremely difficult to adjust if there is any change to the bite or other change to the patient. The functional dental relationships are confirmed in stone, plaster, computer generated or other means of reproducing the dental conditions and the models or other reproduced means are approximated at the orthotic determined best functional relationship. Trays are fabricated and affixed to one another at this relationship to maintain the best functional joint, muscle and structural and functional positioning for patients when they sleep so they will maintain the optimal functional relationships.